Monet’s Impression, Sunrise, 1872.A new documentary based entirely on Claude Monet’s personal letters is screening tonight in St Julian’s.
I, Claude Monet reveals Monet the artist, businessman and lover as it explores the fascinating inner life of one of the world’s most famous artists.
Based on 3,000 surviving letters, the film reveals a tumultuous inner life marked by moments of intense depression and euphoric creation, offering a complex portrait of this beloved artist.
The documentary also features over 100 of Monet’s paintings filmed in high definition, providing a unique window into his emotional and creative life.
Brought to life by acclaimed actor Henry Goodman, Monet’s letters record his journey from a prodigiously talented teenager to the grand old man of the arts.
Claude Monet (1840-1926)The letters record remarkable encounters – from the painter Eugene Boudin, who he met as an enthusiastic amateur, to Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau, with whom he struck up a friendship as an elderly man.
Many letters confront Monet’s despair, depression and even attempted suicide.
In equal measure his correspondence celebrates the joys of painting and the natural world, inspired by his travels across Europe. In order to capture the euphoria, the documentary film travels to the very spots Monet painted and wrote his letters from, from Paris to Venice, London to La Havre.
Directed by Phil Grabsky, this feature is accompanied by an original score by award-winning composer Stephen Baysted. The documentary is part of thepioneering film series Exhibition on Screen which works with top international museums and galleries around the world. By doing so, their films offer a cinematic immersion into the world’s best-loved art combined with detailed artist biographies.
■ I, Claude Monet screens tonight at Eden Cinemas in St Julian’s at 8.45pm. For more information, visit: edencinemas.com.mt or call 2371 0400.